Merry Christmas in Mandarin Chinese
圣诞快乐
Shèngdàn kuàilè
Say it like this: shuhng-DAHN kwy-LUH
Big letters show the part to say louder.
Quick answer
- In Mandarin Chinese, Merry Christmas is 圣诞快乐 (Shèngdàn kuàilè), said like shuhng-DAHN kwy-LUH.
- Happy New Year is 新年快乐 (Xīnnián kuàilè).
- People say it in China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia.
What Shèngdàn kuàilè means
圣 (shèng) means holy, 诞 (dàn) means birth, and 快乐 (kuàilè) means happy. So the phrase is 'holy birth, happy'. Traditional characters: 聖誕快樂.
Chinese is written with characters, not letters. Mainland China and Singapore use simplified characters, while Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau use traditional ones.
Other ways to say it in Mandarin Chinese
聖誕快樂
Shèngdàn kuàilè
Say it like this: shuhng-DAHN kwy-LUH
The same words in traditional characters, used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.
圣诞节快乐
Shèngdànjié kuàilè
Say it like this: shuhng-dahn-JYEH kwy-LUH
Adds 节 (jié), meaning festival. A slightly fuller way to say it, also very common.
Happy New Year
新年快乐
Xīnnián kuàilè
Say it like this: shin-NYEN kwy-LUH
Happy New Year
To write in a Christmas card
圣诞快乐，新年快乐
Shèngdàn kuàilè, xīnnián kuàilè
Say it like this: shuhng-DAHN kwy-LUH, shin-NYEN kwy-LUH
Where people speak Mandarin Chinese
ChinaTaiwanSingaporeMalaysia
Mandarin Chinese (中文 (普通话)) belongs to the Sino-Tibetan (Sinitic) language family.
Hear it from Rally on Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve, Rally the corgi rides the Christmas Train around the world. He reaches Shanghai at about 12:07 AM local time, then visits Beijing, Taipei, and kids learn to say 圣诞快乐 as he lands.
Watch Rally arrive in Shanghai →Christmas traditions where people speak Mandarin Chinese
- Giving apples on Christmas Eve: In China, Christmas Eve is called Ping'an Ye, meaning peaceful night. Because the word for apple, píngguǒ, sounds like the word for peace, people give friends and family apples, often wrapped in colored paper.[4]
- Decorations in big cities: Few people in China are Christian, so Christmas is mostly enjoyed in big cities. Malls and streets are lit up with trees and lights, and young people hold parties and give gifts, a little like Valentine's Day.[4][3]
- Christmasland in Taiwan: Christmas is a fun secular holiday in Taiwan, with parties, gifts and Christmas lights in cities and malls. New Taipei City hosts a big yearly event called Christmasland, with many decorations.[3][5]
🎄 Quick game: Merry Christmas in Mandarin Chinese
Three quick questions for kids. Tap an answer to play.
Say Merry Christmas in more languages
- Cantonese聖誕快樂
- Burmeseပျော်ရွှင်ဖွယ်ရာ ခရစ္စမတ်ပွဲတော် ဖြစ်ပါစေ
- KazakhРождество құтты болсын
- Gujaratiનાતાલની શુભકામનાઓ
- Japaneseメリークリスマス
- CebuanoMalipayong Pasko
- Tamilகிறிஸ்துமஸ் வாழ்த்துக்கள்
- Sinhalaසුබ නත්තලක් වේවා
Questions parents ask
How do you say Merry Christmas in Mandarin Chinese?
The most common way is 圣诞快乐, said "Shèngdàn kuàilè" (shuhng-DAHN kwy-LUH). In traditional characters it is 聖誕快樂. You may also hear 圣诞节快乐 (Shèngdànjié kuàilè), which adds the word for festival. Both are used in mainland China and Taiwan.[1]
How do you pronounce Shèngdàn kuàilè?
Say "shuhng-DAHN kwy-LUH". Mandarin uses four tones, and every syllable here has the falling fourth tone, which drops sharply like a firm yes. Say each syllable short and falling. The kuài is like the word why with a k and w at the start.[1]
What does Shèngdàn kuàilè mean?
圣 (shèng) means holy, 诞 (dàn) means birth, and 快乐 (kuàilè) means happy. Together, 圣诞 means holy birth, which is the Chinese name for Christmas. So the phrase means Happy Christmas, or Happy Holy Birth Day. It is used by Christians and by many others who enjoy the holiday.[1]
How do you write Merry Christmas in Chinese?
Mainland China and Singapore write 圣诞快乐 in simplified characters. Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau write 聖誕快樂 in traditional characters. Chinese words are written with no spaces between them. Pinyin, the romanization, uses accents to show tones: Shèngdàn kuàilè.[1]
How do you say Happy New Year in Mandarin Chinese?
Say 新年快乐 (Xīnnián kuàilè), which means Happy New Year. Note that the biggest Chinese celebration is the Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, in late January or February, when people say 新年快乐 and 恭喜发财 (Gōngxǐ fācái), meaning wishing you prosperity.[2]
Is there a formal way to say Merry Christmas in Mandarin Chinese?
圣诞快乐 is friendly for everyone. A more formal version is 祝您圣诞快乐 (Zhù nín Shèngdàn kuàilè), which means I wish you a Merry Christmas, using the polite word nín for you. With friends and children, the short greeting is best. Teachers and elders will like the polite one.[1]
When do people say Merry Christmas in China?
People say it mostly on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, December 24 and 25, especially in big cities. Christmas is not a public holiday in mainland China, so many people work or study as usual. Shops and malls start decorating in early December.[3][4]
Is Christmas Eve or Christmas Day the main celebration in China?
Christmas Eve, called Ping'an Ye, is the most popular time for fun in cities. Friends and couples go out, share apples and exchange gifts. Christmas Day is an ordinary day for most people. Another winter festival, Dongzhi, the winter solstice, has deeper roots in Chinese tradition.[4]
What is a popular Christmas tradition in China?
Giving apples on Christmas Eve is popular. The Chinese name for Christmas Eve, Ping'an Ye, means peaceful night, and the word for apple, píngguǒ, sounds like the word for peace. Many shops sell apples wrapped in colorful paper for the occasion.[4]
How can I teach kids to say Shèngdàn kuàilè?
Teach it as four short, falling sounds, like a drumbeat: shèng, dàn, kuài, lè. Kids can slice their hand down through the air for each falling tone. Draw an apple and write 平安夜 on it, then add 圣诞快乐. Songs like "Jingle Bells" are popular in China too.[4]
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor by Leslie Dunn. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on AmazonSources
We check every greeting against dictionaries, language institutes and cultural sources.
- merry Christmas (translations), Wiktionary
- happy New Year (translations), Wiktionary
- Observance of Christmas by country, Wikipedia
- Christmas in China, WhyChristmas.com
- Christmas in Taiwan, WhyChristmas.com